Suzuki XL-7 Electrical Problems

We bought a 2007 XL7 two weeks ago. The second day we had the car the battery was dead. Had it replaced and then the charging system was not reading over 12.3 volts while running. Replaced the alternator but the car still ranges from 12.3 to 14.2 volts while running or idling. Last Saturday the front control stopped working. Could not change the radio, a/c or any other centrally located controls. We had a 2004 XL7 and it was great. Our vehicle was manufactured Nov of 2006 so it was one of the first out, anyone else have electrical bugs? Oh yeah, I almost forgot that the speakers pop like something is grounding out everytime we open the doors. I ran a Suzuki Motorcycle dealership for almost 10 years and have never seen anything this random in the powersports world. The dealer said he has replaced batteries in 3 other new XL7's. Did I get the only XL7 with Gremlins?

I was told by the service department at two Suzuki dealerships (one local one in Florida)that the running voltage should never drop below 13.5 when running even at idle. I can say that when the voltage monitor drops below 12.8 the car starts acting a little wierd, meaning idle gets jumpy and the car stumbles upon takeoff from a light. We have tried turning everything off but it doesn't make a difference. I have to believe the alternator is working correctly but there is something wrong in the ODB or other electrical component that is telling the car the battery is charging but in fact is not. The vehicle is currently being looked at and hopefully we well find something out soon.

Good luck with it. We have a 2007 that is about the same vintage. No issues yet. I also have a 2002, and I have seen similar voltage fluctuations on it. I would expect to see fluctuations since the alternator is alway adjusting its out put, and the load placed on the system changes all of the time, as well. Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.

Actually, the XL-7 designers used the Equinox (Theta) platform as a starting point to take advantage of its safety, steering and suspension features, but there the similarity ends.

The engine is built at the Suzuki plant in Sagara Japan based on GM's aluminum V-6 used in the Cadillac CTS. The platform, while similar to Equinox, is stiffer, longer, and a skosh wider to accomodate a third row of seats. (Note: GM now only owns about 3% of Suzuki stock).

It is assembled in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

I don't own one, but I am in the market for a new vehicle, and this one is quite intriguing. :shades:

I have a 2007 xl7 with 13,000 miles. Like the car but dont like the electrical computer system. One night we were out in the car and all dashboard systems, radio, thermostat and heating went out. Stop in a station, shut the car down and started it up again a few mnts later. It worked fine. Its like Windows having problems with your computer----- "Hit Alt --Ctrl --- and Delete". Sometimes if someone is sitting in the passenger seat the air bag sensor light stays at off position. I saw something on tv a week ago about other car brands having the same problem so they did a recall. No recall on the suzuki. Its the same set-up and system other cars are using. I would check to see if other cars are having the same problem and they had recalls on this. Since all car manufacturers are using each others technology and parts it could happen.

Hi,I have a '04 XL-7, 63k miles, passenger airbag light came on and stayed on whether seat was occupied or not. Took it to the dealer. He said the sensor in the seat frame goes bad. I asked how much the sensor was, expecting something like a micro-switch. He said no such thing, whole seat frame has to be replaced, $1300. That was last month, I've done nothing to it yet. I'm thinking I may take the seat apart and check it out myself, dirt, loose connection? Local Mech. won't touch it due to liability issues. Another issue: clock/temp blinking, won't reset. I suspect the computer? Another issue: clicker (remote door lock/unlock) stopped working, took it in. The dealer said if the little sensors that detect the doors being closed get jammed up, or dirty, the clicker won't work. I took rubber covers off of each one and 3 out of 5 not working. Sprayed with wd40 and that solved the problem.

Ok I'm glad Iam not the only one having this problem. $1300. Forget it. I think I'm going to wait for a recall on it. I hope you get your other problems resolved. Do you think that if the front seat thinks there is no one sitting in the car and god forbid you have a crash the air bag wont deploy? I hope not.

I think that's the case, the airbag would not deploy, but I will do more research and maybe it's something simple...yeah right. I agree, $1300, forget it. Vehicles are so technically advanced now from when I was a kid tinkering with cars, It's just amazing. I guess the good side is that they are much more dependable, but when something goes wrong, a person has to get a second mortgage to fix the darn things.Good luck on yours too.

I have had mine in the shop 3 times in the past year. I'm taking it in again tomorrow. You just don't know what, if anything, electrical is going to work. Radio, air, tire pressure, airbags, stableization, brakes, anything with sound could black out at any moment. Then you wake up one morning and nothing works. You have to have it jumped to start it.What a joke! I wish more than anything I'd never purchased this nightmare.

ok.... We tried new battery, new alternator, new starter: turned out to be:...... loose groundwire...... they fixed it and problem solved after all these months and ALL that money!! good luck everybody

Well, they kept my car for 6 days and can't find anything wrong with it. Pretty much just told me to bad. When I said it sounded like a computer issue he said no way. Then he told me he didn't open up a ticket and wouldn't make note of them even having the vehicle there because it was back with the same issues. Seems to me they don't want it turned in as a lemon. I've got a call into suzuki to demand they give me detailed info on what they did or did not do. And I'm filing the lemon paperwork tomorrow.

Did they specifically check for loose ground wire? It took MONTHS and MONTHS to finally fix mine. Thsi was AFTER they recommended new battery, new alternator, new starter: Loose ground wire fixed the problem....

Bought my 07 XL7 in Nov 06. Loved it so much. Still did until Wed a week ago when it would not start after I put gas into it. The check engine light came on the day before. Finally got it started and took it to the dealer. It was covered under my paid for extended warranty. (68000 miles) Got it back this past Thurs. ($1400) Drove it Fri and it did the same thing and the check engine light came on again. So they have it again. I just pray they actually fix it this time.

Also notice a sand paper sound coming from steering wheel and the air conditioner makes a funny gurgling noise.

our 2004 XL-7 has a open door indicator light that does not go off...we already had it fixed once and now its back on agaon..dealer said it has something to do with the rear door indicator , fixed it and it lasted one month and its on again...also the overhead lights stay on...HELP!!I am wondering when it qualifies as a lemon.

I posted last June with problems with not starting when I put gas in it. They finally (after 2 months) fixed it but would not give me an invoice of what was done. They said done, dont worry about it. I do not ever want to take it back to that dealer again but it's my only one for 200 miles. I got in it yesterday and started it and the air would not blow at all. The air/heat panel was dead. I noticed the outside temp gauge also was blank with 3 small dashes. I cut it off and re-started. It came on. I am wondering if this is next to go. Unfortunately I was told by an attorney to be a lemon it had to be taken to dealer the first year and not fixable. I will hopefully be trading her in soon for a new, never Suzuki, model!

Hi! I had the same problem with my XL-7 (2007 JLX Video system Canadian version of the Limited US version) around 36000 km (20k miles), last year. It took 3 times at the dealer to fix the problem. The symptoms was, drained battery, not starting, when running the entire cluster was turning off plus radio and dash accessories turning off. The last time it goes to the dealer it stay there for 40 days. The dealer wasn't able to diagnose the problem and they involved the Suzuki branch in Toronto. They finally found the problem and it was comming from the radio system. Inbuilt in the radio, there is a module controling the engine injection system and many other vital system as the charging system. If the radio is removed from the car the engine isn't starting. They changed the radio and it fix the problem. Since then, the problem is gone and never reappear again. I am now at 83000 km (around 52k miles) and I am very happy of my car.

My 2005 just started doing this too. I had noticed it a few times last summer. But this summer has been so hot that I run it more and more. I've seen the blinking lots over the last week.

The strangest thing happened last night. After driving for about 30 minutes, I made a sharp right turn and water (odorless, colorless) leaked all over my right foot near the gas pedal! It wasnt a lot, but it definitely startled me.

I had used the windshield washer fluid to clean off some dust about 15 minutes before it happened but It had never leaked before (even with rain) so I'm assuming it has something to do with the A/C. So strange.

Did you ever find out what the problem was? Mine has been doing this for 50k miles, I just leave it running when I put gas in it. My mechanic (not a dealer) says the computer says engine misfire. Thinks it might be a cracked hose inside the fuel tank sending air to fuel injection which might make sense since air is let in when removing the fuel cap. Took me 12 tries to get it started the other day and mechanic was with me, that's when he noticed air coming in. Will be taking it in as soon as I can coordinate an empty tank and open slot for work on it. Mine has over 121k miles on it. My windshield leaks too when it rains ..living in Florida we HARDLY ever get rain, ha. Just waiting for a rock to hit it good and hard one day to get the thing replaced.

My sensor reads at 14.4 all the time when running but when i turn on my stereo my lights begin to flicker and i found out that the alternator in the XL 7 they under rated them so i put a bigger one in and it has worked and been good ever since.

I know this is late. lol Did they ever find what the problem was? My car was having trouble starting after I put gas in it and it turned out it was the purge valve under the hood. They replaced it and it was fine. BUT then i started having another problem. At times it will not start and at times it will. It has to sit with hours in between. I suspect something electrical. First the dash lights started dimming while driving and then going back to normal. Then I started getting messages in dashboard such as: Service Engine Soon, Service Air Bag Soon, Service Tire Monitor System. And when Im driving all of the gauges go to zero and after few seconds or minutes they go back to normal. They have yet to find the cause of this new problem. I'll be taking it back to dealer and leaving it there and hopefully they'll be able to figure it out.

:mad: i can start the my 2007 xl7 and the radio and the heat/air doesn't have power, my blinker makes alot of noise especially when turning, it does a loud clicking sound or/and the blinker is very loud. I have to turn it off then start the suv again. sometimes it take a few times for it to start up right, without the noise in the blinker or with power in the radio or heat/air blower. :confuse:

Please contact me regarding the problems you are having. This has been going on with my XL7 since it was brand new. I have it in the shop now and they believe it is the ground cable that goes from the battery to the body of the vehicle. It is defective.